Alonso blasts current F1 cars after tough Monaco practice: “This is the worst generation I’ve driven here”
The Spaniard, 20th in practice, pointed to the “inconsistency” of energy regeneration under braking: “Hybrid cars shouldn’t be racing.”
Fernando Alonso is tackling his 22nd Monaco Grand Prix, but after climbing out of the car — having finished 20th in Free Practice — his verdict was blunt and unmistakable: “I don’t think this is the best track for these cars. But this is probably the worst generation of cars I’ve ever driven in Monaco.”
The two‑time world champion didn’t hold back as he explained the core issue: the way today’s hybrid systems harvest energy under braking.
“The way the battery recharges when you brake, and when you lift, creates inconsistency in the engine braking. Sometimes you have a lot, sometimes less, sometimes none. If the battery is full, you have no engine braking. Hybrid cars shouldn’t be racing,” he said.
Aston Martin–Honda struggling with energy recovery sync
The session exposed clear coordination problems between Aston Martin and Honda when it comes to managing energy recovery as the car slows for Monaco’s tight corners. Downshifts become unpredictable because the power unit uses them to harvest energy — a process that should feel smooth, not abrupt. In the AMR26, Alonso says, it’s the opposite.
“We need to improve the engine response, how it behaves during gear changes, and the energy recovery. We have a complex braking‑recharge system that interacts with the gearbox and with how you approach corners. And on the chassis side, we need more front‑end grip. A lot of work ahead,” he explained.
He added that the rear axle is doing heavy lifting in battery recharge: “Right now we recharge a lot under braking. The rear is recharging the batteries, and during those downshifts you have to interact with the engine. A lot is happening this year, and we’re not at the level yet.”
Chronic understeer and inconsistent corner entry
And the problems don’t stop there.
“It’s a bit of everything. We’re not happy with the front‑end grip. We lose a lot of grip mid‑corner and we have chronic understeer we can’t solve. We’ve made setup changes and we’ll make more, but it’s complicated. Plus, the gear changes and the recharge level in the corners are crucial to being precise and confident, and right now the way the car downshifts and the speed at which we approach corners is far too inconsistent.”
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